Poet's Corner Contest

The Community & Economic Development Department and the City of Modesto’s Poets’ Corner Committee announce the Annual Poets’ Corner Contest. The submission period for this contest is now open. View the Submission Form (PDF).

The contest is open to all Stanislaus County residents and offers two categories for poetry entries:

General: Any kind of poetry on any subject, rhymed or unrhymed. Free verse and form welcome. Group of three haiku accepted as one entry.

Special: "Lost and found: the things/people/paths we have lost and how we have found or will find them again."

Requirements

Entries are limited to the following:

Two poems per person.

May not exceed 32 lines.

All entries must be typed on standard 8.5" x 11" paper, double-spaced, in standard font.

Entries must be unpublished at the time of submission.

Entries may be two of one category or one of each category.

At the top of each poem, indicate contest category and, if under the age of 18, grade in school.

Do not put name of poet on any submitted poem: put name on cover page or entry form only.

No plagiarism or offensive language.

Submissions

For Online Submissions

Include one cover page with poet's name, address, email and title(s) of poem(s). If poet is a student, then indicate grade, school and name of teacher. Submit cover page and one copy of each poem in .doc, .docx or .pdf format to this email.

For Mailed Submissions

Submit one copy of each poem entered along with one entry form for each poet to:

Deadline

Entries must be postmarked by Friday, March 9, 2018 or submitted electronically by 11:59 pm on Friday, March 9, 2018.

Contest Winners

Contest winners will be notified by email (or mail, when email is unavailable). Poets will be invited to read their winning poems on Sunday, May 6, 2018, at 1 p.m. at the McHenry Museum, followed by light refreshments.

Winning poems will be printed in a booklet that will be placed in the Poets’ Bookshelf, which contains published works by local writers and will be kept at the McHenry Museum. Each winner will receive a copy of the booklet.